ISLAMABAD: Health Minister Mustafa Kamal on Tuesday informed the National Assembly that while there was a cap of Rs1.8 million on the annual fee for medical and dental colleges across Pakistan, taking into account expenses, quality of education and other factors, around 35 colleges have been allowed to charge a maximum of Rs2.1 million as an annual fee.

While responding to a calling attention notice, the minister said 22,000 seats were available in medical colleges across the country, of which, 65pc were in the private sector and only 35pc were in public-sector institutions.

He also said all complaints regarding private colleges were taken up and were resolved at the earliest.

The calling attention notice was moved by MNAs Asia Naz Tanoli, Zahra Wadood Fatemi and Huma Akhtar Chughtai. The movers claimed that the rapid increase in fee of medical and dental colleges was raising public concerns.

Minister says there is cap of Rs1.8m for admission to medical, dental colleges across Pakistan

The minister clarified that no medical or dental college could charge or increase the fee on its own and suggested to lodge complaints if any college was doing so.

Sharing details, Mustafa Kamal said a committee headed by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar was formulated to look into the issues of the fee and later fees were capped on the direction and recommendations of the committee.

He said last year 143,000 candidates appeared in Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) out of which 96,000 cleared the test.

“A number of them get admissions in colleges of poor quality in other countries. We have decided to mention the colleges on the PMDC website to ensure that students get admission in quality colleges,” he said.

Parliamentary Secretary for Health Nelson Azeem said initially fee was capped at Rs1.8 million but some of the colleges challenged the fee claiming that it was not viable for them to provide quality education in that fee.

He said that considering the situation and seeking justification from colleges it was allowed to charge Rs2.1 million annual fee.

He said that as many as 61 medical colleges submitted appeals along with relevant documents.

After reviewing the appeals, the committee found the cases of 35 institutions justified and allowed them to charge Rs2.1 million.

One of the movers MNA Asia Naz Tanoli said that it was unfortunate that private colleges charged hundreds of thousands of rupees. She asked that why those students cannot be admitted in public sector colleges.

She also said that a way should be found out that the private colleges would charge fee in installments instead of charging whole year’s fee at once.

“These students are not facilitated due to which they go abroad and after returning from there they are forced to sit in exams,” she alleged.

Nelson Azeem said private colleges informed the students about the fee.

While replying to a question, he said even after completion of medical education majority of the doctors try to go abroad.

“As far as test from foreign qualified doctors are concerned, doctors who complete education in Pakistan also appear in tests in other countries. So we also take tests of doctors who come from abroad,” he explained.

MNA Zahra Wadood Fatemi said in Pakistan every year over 150,000 candidates applied for admission to medical and dental colleges but the seats were just over 20,000. “Although fee is capped at Rs1.8 million, private colleges have been receiving fee under the table. We have learnt that colleges are charging Rs3.5 million to Rs4 million,” she claimed.

MNA Huma Chughtai alleged that the colleges demand fee on one day notice due to which students cannot pay the fee.

Mustafa Kamal said Pakistan produced quality doctors as an international body certified the colleges and there was huge demand of Pakistani doctors. “Medical education in Pakistan is above average. Regulation by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) is considered good regulation. The cap is of Rs1.8 million but some colleges have been allowed to even charge up to Rs2.5 million considering their expenses and quality of education,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2026